Small Steps
by DisneyStar4Ever
Summary: Based off a prompt from Tumblr. "Rigby does need to grow up, but you have to understand that he needs to do it in his own time." Mordecai/Rigby friendship. COMPLETE


**Small Steps**

**Based off this prompt ~ post/54072002474/mordecai-and-benson-sent-in-by-regularfan101**

"What the heck dude?!"

Rigby turned, frowning. "What?"

Mordecai threw his hands up. "Why'd you just go and have a tantrum like that? Now thanks to you, we're banned from playing video games! And it's all because you couldn't keep your mouth shut!"

"That wasn't my fault! Benson turned the game off!"

"Yeah, and it's just because he wanted us to do our job! But you had to go be a big baby about it and ban us from our video game privileges!"

"Hey, it's not my fault that Benson's a jerk."

Mordecai's eyes went wide and in a flash, he saw red. "Benson isn't a jerk. You're the jerk! You're the one who had a big whining fit and you're also the one who can't keep his damn mouth shut in the right circumstances!"

Rigby went over to his trampoline and kicked a pile of clothes off his trampoline, fuming silently at their argument. Mordecai sat down on his bed and wiped a hand across his face, letting out a long sigh.

"Listen dude." Mordecai started and Rigby turned his head to look at him. "I-I think you need to work on your attitude."

"What?" Rigby asked quietly.

"Like, lately you've been being a jerk about everything and just whining about the most pointless things and just making huge dramas and..." Mordecai paused. "You need to grow up and start taking responsibility for your actions."

Rigby turned right around. "Dude, are you serious?"

"Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Mordecai cocked an eyebrow down, genuinely confused at his friends question.

"You don't think I'm grown up or mature? Even though I'm the same age as you?"

"Dude, I'm older than you by 2 months!" The taller man paused then sighed again, his voice lowering. "That's not the point. The point is, is that you've been acting completely immature the past few days and I just think it's time to start being mature for a change."

Rigby stared at him. "For a change?" He asked slowly to himself then as it started to sink in, he began to see red this time. "You've known me for most of your life and now you're saying that I need to work on my attitude?!"

Mordecai frowned. "Dude, listen-"

"No! I don't want to listen! You've known me since we were born and now you want to tell me to be more responsible about my actions! Are you even hearing yourself!?"

"Rigby-"

"Now you decide to be responsible, more mature Mordecai 'cause your irresponsible, immature best friend can't even do chores without telling it how it is?!"

Mordecai felt his heart break at seeing hot, angry tears in Rigby's eyes. "Dude, I didn't mean it like that-"

Rigby folded his arms and turned around, the tears flowing. "Get out." He whispered.

Mordecai stood up. "Rigby, I'm sorry alright? I didn't-"

"Get out!" Rigby whipped around and Mordecai swallowed when he saw the smaller males face etched with hurt. With a pain in his chest, he edged around the bed and went out the room, shutting the door behind him.

The taller employee went downstairs with a heavy feeling in his heart and into the kitchen, where he sat in one of the chairs at the kitchen table and placed his head on his arms and sulked for a good 10 minutes before he heard footsteps behind him and a felt a warm hand go on his shoulder. Mordecai turned his head to see Benson looking at him with genuine concern and a small smile.

"Hey, what's up with you?" His boss asked, going round him and sitting in one of the chairs next to his employee.

Mordecai sighed and when he felt a knot in his stomach at remembering his and Rigby's argument and seeing his best buds teary face, he sighed. Benson didn't look away from him, waiting for a response. He expected Mordecai to mutter a "nothing" or even a "it's none of your business" but when he turned his head to look at him again, Benson felt himself lean slightly towards him.

"Me and Rigby had an argument."

Benson pressed his lips together. Telling from Mordecai's state and his hurt expression, he knew that it wasn't one of their usual arguments where they just brushed it off. It was a little more serious. "And?"

Mordecai felt the knot tighten. Why would Benson want to know, let alone care? Sure, his boss wasn't usually the one to confront him or Rigby about their arguments; they sorted them out for themselves, so this was different. He paused. Did he want to tell him? Thinking it through, Mordecai really needed someone to open up to; the image of Rigbys face would've leave him alone and getting the argument off his chest might get the image out of his mind.

He stole one more glance at his bosses face before unfolding his arms and swallowing. With his eyes on Benson, he fought the tears in and managed to explain everything to him without breaking. But as soon as a sympathetic look cast over Bensons face, he finally let a few tears fall and his boss smiled sadly.

"Listen Mordecai, don't beat yourself up over this. Rigby does need to grow up, but you have to understand that he needs to do it in his own time. Yes, you were right in what you said and yes, Rigby can be immature at times we all know that. But you can't argue against him. He is who he is. And if he wants to be immature, let him. But he'll learn someday to take responsibility for his own actions."

Mordecai felt the knot loosen and he swallowed, wiping away the tears. "I-I never thought about it like that." He admitted. "Thanks Benson."

His boss smiled. "It's no problem. Whenever you need to vent, or if anything goes wrong that you just want to get off your chest, just come speak to me alright? I'll talk it out with you."

Mordecai smiled at Bensons sudden understanding. A weight lifted off his shoulders at finally telling someone about what'd happened between him and Rigby. "Thanks."

Benson stood up and squeezed Mordecai's shoulder in comfort as he passed. The taller male turned around in his seat and as he watched Benson walk away, it hit him of just how understanding and sympathetic his boss could be. He was right; Benson wasn't a jerk. In fact, he was far from it. If you just took some time to get to know him, he wasn't so bad. Deep down, he did have a soft spot for the ones he cared about. It was the showing through part that he had trouble with.

With a smile, Mordecai got off the seat and went upstairs to confront Rigby about what'd occurred between him and Benson.

He twisted the knob and stepped in. "Hey Rigby..." Mordecai paused when he saw the smaller males back to him, Rigby sitting on the trampoline with his arms crossed. "Listen, I just came up here to apologize for what I said..." Slowly, Rigby let his arms drop by his side and he turned around to face his best bud who was standing by the end of his bed. "I let my words get the best of me and yeah, I said some things that hurt you and I'm sorry. I just want to let you know that I understand that I can't make you be mature. You gotta learn from it and soon grow out of the immaturity by taking small steps."

Rigby just stared at him, Mordecai's words mixing in his head but still not making any sense. Mordecai trailed off and when he caught sight of Rigby's face, he smiled.

"What I'm trying to say is...how about we just let this go?"

The smaller male stood and walked over and Mordecai held out a hand. "Water under the bridge?"

Rigby glanced from his friends face to his outstretched hand before grasping it and shaking it with a smile. "Yeah, man."

Mordecai let his hand go by his side and he stepped towards the door. "Alright, how about we go to coffee shop?"

"Aw really? But why don't we have a water balloon fight or do something fun?" Rigby protested. The taller male looked at him and when Rigby saw, he laughed. "Right, be mature."

"Nah dude, it's cool. We can have a water balloon fight if you want."

The duo walked down the stairs. "Really? Rigby asked in surprise.

"Sure. Like I said, I'm not gonna tell you what to do."

Rigby smiled. "Thanks, Mordecai."

The two turned back around and headed back up the stairs.

Mordecai smirked. "Last one up the stairs has to fill them!"

"Oh you're on." Rigby shot forward but Mordecai grabbed his leg and he face-planted into the stair, making Mordecai laugh. Rigby jumped up and ran the rest of the way up, beating Mordecai, who followed.

"Oh yeah! I won! Beat that Mordecry!" Rigby then proceeded to do a little victory dance which Mordecai just rolled his eyes at, but he pushed past the smaller male and went into their room to get the balloons. And when he came out and saw Rigby still doing the dance, he smiled to himself.

Small steps.


End file.
